The desirability of domed shaped building structures has long been recognized. The Eskimo people of the arctic, for example, have long formed building structures from curved blocks of snow and ice. More recently, very large domed stadiums have been constructed throughout the world. U.S. Pat. No. 5,918,438 and the patents cited therein, disclose various types of domed structures and methods of construction of such structures. U.S. Pat. No. 5,918,438 discloses a method of constructing a domed structure using an inflatable form having a peripheral edge anchored to a base. A network of cable-like members that overlie the form is anchored to the base to limit expansion and tearing of the form. A layer of foam is applied to the interior of the form, followed by attachment of reinforcing mesh. A cementitious material is applied to embed the mesh. Internal ribs are formed to underlie the network of external cable members which may be connected to the internal ribs to assist in support of the ribs until they become self-supporting of the dome.
Domed structures are often preferred because of their superior strength characteristics and low construction costs relative to other types of buildings. Domed buildings can often be manufactured at costs well below that of buildings having comparable interior spaces.
Nevertheless, it is desirable to have even better ways (i.e. lower cost and easier methods of construction) to construct domed buildings and particularly smaller buildings up to the size of garages and small warehouses.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide a method of constructing smaller domed buildings (i.e. small homes, garages, warehouses, outbuildings, and the like) with lower labor costs and other features that will result in significant cost savings in the construction of buildings, on site.
Another object is to provide a domed building that will, if so desired serve as an inner shell form for a concrete outer shell poured over the inner shell and with panels forming the inner shell being made of lightweight plastic and removable from the concrete outer shell into the interior of the structure formed by the inner and outer shells.
It is a principal feature of the method of the invention that lightweight, formed panels be used either to form a building shell or to serve as an inner support mold for cementitious material applied over the support mold.
After being used as a support mold the panels are removed from the concrete building shell and are available for re-use.
Additional objects and features of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains from the following detailed description and drawings.